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Stories from the Sales Frontlines

92277 messages,  Last post on Jun 19, 2013 at 9:17 PM

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Messages Page 8966 of 9228

#89649 of 92277 Re: Cheeca Lodge [driver100] by robr2

Mar 07, 2013 (8:24 am)

Replying to: driver100 (Mar 07, 2013 7:11 am)
Better than those - I once worked for a company that had a national sales force employed by the company. They had a car, full expenses, et al and called on OEM's and distributors in their respective territories.
 
Management discovered one of their best sales people was doing the same job for another company in a different industry. He was collecting the sames expenses from both companies, had two company cars (the other driven by his wife) and collecting two checks and benefits. He was located halfway across the country but his other employer was only 12 miles away from us. He coordinated visits back east so he could show his face at both.
 
Both companies coordinated the firing. One sales manager planned a field visit. When the sales person went to pick up him up at the hotel, the sales manager from the other company was sitting in the lobby as well. The sales person was fired and they went back to his house to get back all the company equipment and files and drove the cars back to Boston.

#89650 of 92277 Re: How they build a car.... [jsyodes] by mako1a

Mar 07, 2013 (8:27 am)

Replying to: jsyodes (Mar 07, 2013 7:46 am)
That's correct. Nashville (not Florida). He was both a salesman and finance manager before his dealership expanded and took away the Edmunds keys.

#89651 of 92277 Re: How they build a car.... [driver100] by isellhondas

Mar 07, 2013 (8:30 am)

Replying to: driver100 (Mar 06, 2013 7:10 pm)
When people are in constant pain they will try anything to get relief.
 
When my stepdad was in his declining months he would get constant mail begging for money for one cause or another. Sometimes they would attach a dollar bill for "postage" to make him feel indebted.
 
And, it worked! I found out he was sending bogus orginazations money every month. 10.00 here, 10.00 there. So they sold his info to other companies.
 
Finally, I had all of his mail directed to me.
 
I would stuff those return envelopes full of Monopoly money, and paper, making sure they wre overweight and they would be "postage due".
 
It didn't take long before those mailings stopped!

#89652 of 92277 Re: How they build a car.... [isellhondas] by dino001

Mar 07, 2013 (8:36 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Mar 07, 2013 8:30 am)
I like that. Never thought of such a trick. I don't really get those mails, but that sounds much better and faster way of getting rid of them than simply ignoring.
 
If there was some way to do such "backfire" scheme on spam email, i.e. stuff their mailboxes with some overweight crap and make the spammers pay extra fees for data, perhaps we would all see less of it. One could dream.

#89653 of 92277 Re: Cheeca Lodge [robr2] by graphicguy

Mar 07, 2013 (8:41 am)

Replying to: robr2 (Mar 07, 2013 8:24 am)
Welcome to both JSs. Hope you stick around. Feel free to interject. As tjc posted, things got heated in here a few years ago. Edmunds (correctly) shut down the thread for awhile. Now, as others mentioned, it's kind of a "hang out" where there's a sales story every once in awhile (mine's still not finished, BTW).
 
It's a neat place to hang.
 
We've lost some due to passing on (our good friend, Mackabee). Others retired (isellhondas, abacomike). Others are either out of the business, or quite posting.
 
I saw a post about sales people. While I'm in marketing, a little while ago, I also had responsibility for a sales staff, too. I will disagree with some of the thoughts I've seen posted here. In particular, that sales people don't know their respective company's business. They do....all too keenly. If they don't, they won't be very successful.
 
However, it is true that if they don't sell to expectations, they won't be employed very long. I know the amount of stress I put on my people when I managed them. They didn't get a yearly review. They were on my radar monthly. You miss your target one month, I'd chalk it up to personal issues, or some bad breaks here and there, or something that had no relevance to teh business. You miss your number for two months, you'd go "on report". That's where I'd give a number of tasks to be accomplished that I felt would improve their sales (revenue and margin). If 3 months went by without hitting their number, they went on 30-day probation. IF they didn't hit their sales target that 4th month, they were fired.
 
The best sales people were the ones that knew their industry, their product and their company thoroughly. They were also the ones who had a close positive relationship with their customers.
 
Although I was put in charge of a team of sales people after only a very short period (albeit a very successful period) of being a sales person myself, I have a very healthy respect for the jobs they do.

#89654 of 92277 Re: Cheeca Lodge [robr2] by driver100

Mar 07, 2013 (9:12 am)

Replying to: robr2 (Mar 07, 2013 8:24 am)
one of their best sales people was doing the same job for another company in a different indust
 
I think your guy wins for biggest cheat so far. The guy has plenty of chutzpah.
 

#89655 of 92277 Re: How they build a car.... [isellhondas] by driver100

Mar 07, 2013 (9:16 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Mar 07, 2013 8:30 am)
I would stuff those return envelopes full of Monopoly money, and paper, making sure they wre overweight and they would be "postage due".
 
Oh, I love that idea.
 
Unfortunately, people in pain and discomfort are open to believing in these miracle cures the snake oil salespeople use. You handled it in a clever way, I am going to remember that if it happens again. I better tell my wife that one so when I start sending money to the horse thieves she will know what to do.

#89656 of 92277 Re: Cheeca Lodge [graphicguy] by isellhondas

Mar 07, 2013 (10:06 am)

Replying to: graphicguy (Mar 07, 2013 8:41 am)
Hey, I may have retired but I still keep a finger in the business and I still have untold stories!
 
Before the car business, I was a Regional Sales Manager for a Fortune 300 company. I had 200 people to worry about and a 30 million dollar P&L I had to keep running. I was tough on people who were lazy or weren't trying. If they were struggling but working hard I was right there with them.
 
And, yes, a good salesperson will know a LOT about the inner workings of a company.

#89657 of 92277 Re: Cheeca Lodge [isellhondas] by bwia

Mar 07, 2013 (11:10 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Mar 07, 2013 10:06 am)
And, yes, a good salesperson will know a LOT about the inner workings of a company.
 
So what makes a good salesperson then? Every sales associate goes through some degree of training including detailed product or service information as well as the products or services of his competitor's. Yet, unfortunately, some of them are not successful.
 
Which leads me to conclude that good salesmen are born and not made, just like good teachers or entrepreneurs. They are just born that way.

#89658 of 92277 Re: Cheeca Lodge [graphicguy] by driver100

Mar 07, 2013 (11:18 am)

Replying to: graphicguy (Mar 07, 2013 8:41 am)
The best sales people were the ones that knew their industry, their product and their company thoroughly.
 
I really like salespeople who first find out what my needs are. I do the book buying for my company. Some salespeople learn about my business so they will know what I am looking for.
 
Others push whatever they can my way and don't have a clue what I am really looking for.
 
I like car salespeople to find out what I am really looking for. When I got the 535 my Maserati friend said I should get an 8 cylinder model. When I asked the salesman what he thought he said, for your needs the 6 with the M package that gives you Sport and Sport+ options will suit your needs much better. I like that kind of advice from a salesperson.
 
When I was in sales, I always thought if I can make the buyer into a star, by giving him the right product, his boss will like him, maybe promote him, and he will trust me to the limit. And, if he does well, I will do well.
 
GG, you had huge responsibilities....and being in charge of a sales force must be very difficult. Actually, a number of people here have had those kind of difficult jobs, Mike and Isell come to mind. Good for you guys.....how did you sleep at night with all that responsibility? No wonder you are enjoying being retired!

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